


Destroy all Sensibilities, and Maybe the World will Finally Start Making Sense.

by ohtobeaclevercat



Category: Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dark, Alternate Universe - Prison, Alternate universe - Mafia, JuHaku, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-29
Updated: 2014-12-29
Packaged: 2018-03-04 03:28:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2907626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohtobeaclevercat/pseuds/ohtobeaclevercat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He had done it. Had finally managed to escape those thick, heavy chains that bound him in its suffocating embrace. That bound him to 'them', and more importantly, to 'Him'. But if so, then why? Why was 'He' here again, ready to shackle him once again with that burning red gaze? Why were 'They' still looming, despite 'Her' death? Prison/Mafia AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Death Leads To Confinement

Hakuryuu had never really seen the appeal of the law and justice, but as he stood there; all eyes on him in the defendants box as he stood trial for murder, he supposed he could maybe see something. Then again, he knew from personal experience that this was only one of the rare, rare, times they actually got it right and executed the so-called justice of the people.

“To one count of murder in the first degree, what does the defendant plea?” Was the judge talking to him? He thought he might be, but at the moment he was a hundred miles away from that stuffy courtroom, with all of it's disgusted stares boring into his back. It didn't matter if he himself answered anyway, the result would be the same. As if hearing his thoughts, Hakuryuu heard his lawyers voice ring out in the suddenly silent courtroom. 

“The defendant pleas guilty, your honor.” Just as they had agreed, and the words hung in the air for a small moment before chaos overtook the room. Suddenly, Hakuryuu wasn't a hundred miles away anymore; instead, he was right in the middle of the chaos as the people whispered, shouted, and expressed their shock and disdain for the boy who killed his mother. He could still see it, the blood that stained his hands a bright, vivid red. 

“Order in the court! Sentencing will continue tomorrow. Court adjourned.” To his credit, the judge didn't even look fazed; as if having a sixteen year old boy admit to killing his own flesh-and-blood mother was an everyday occurrence. Then again, considering his line of work, Hakuryuu supposed it was. People slowly dispersed, some lingering longer than others. Hakuryuu himself was led away almost immediately; he didn't think he would ever get used to the sound of chains clinking with every step he made. 

“Mr. Ren! Mr. Ren!”

“Was it planned?”

“Are the allegations of abuse against your mother true?”  
“What are your thoughts on your current predicament?”

“How are you feeling right now?”

That last question caught his attention. Slowing his steps, he turned around to stare at the reporter who had voiced it; and he wasn't surprised to see the young looking man flinch as their eyes met. His eyes had that effect on people, each a different shade of blue. Or it could have been his face, the burn scar was horrific after all. Either way it didn't matter.

“You.” He said simply, continuing his one-sided staring contest. The journalist looked excited to be picked, but nervous and edgy at the same time. However, he bravely brought up his notepad, his Dixon pencil hovering above the paper.

“Yes? Erik Travule, Panther's Pounce Daily.” The man's – no, Erik's – bright eyes made Hakuryuu slightly uncomfortable, his hand twitching. But he still answered, despite his sudden embarrassment. His sister had always scolded him for his poor communication skills, and the thought brought a slight smile to his face. Hakuei, his beloved older sister, was undoubtedly his most precious person, and he longed to see her face just one more time before he was locked away, most likely forever. Shaking off the memories, he faced forward again.

“You wanted to know what I'm feeling right now?” Although the question was rhetorical, the journalist still nodded enthusiastically. A rueful smile crawled onto Hakuryuu's face a he was pushed forward again, his time up. Turning to Erik one last time, he mouthed one word before the doors of the police cruiser shut before him. Erik's shocked, slightly nauseated face stayed in the forefront of his mind the entire ride back to the station. Staring out the tinted windows, Hakuryuu thought of the word he had solemnly mouthed to the reporter. The word that summed up his feelings ever since he had first committed his atrocious sin.

“Relieved.”

***

In the end, he was sentenced to Sindria-Kou Juvenile Detention Center, 25 years to life, with no bail. Of course, he couldn't stay there forever, and he would be eventually transferred out, but he still felt a small sense of fear crawl up his spine. 

Known simply as Sin-Kou Juvie, it was a center for holding only the worst of the worst offenders, ages twelve to twenty-one. Murder, Armed Robbery, Aggravated Assault, you name it. Nobody really knew what went on in the building, as it was a private institution and funded by the government, but rumors of abuse and experimentation was not uncommon. In other words, they're rich and have connections, Hakuryuu thought bitterly. He was all too familiar with that side of the justice system, the part that pampered the rich and battered the poor. Deciding to stop his thoughts there, lest he work himself into a rage, Hakuryuu lifted his head and looked around.

He was in what they called the 'Important Room', where they gave an...orientation? To criminals? Despite his slightly bewildered thoughts, that looked to be exactly what was going on. The warden – a short, balding man who looked as if he had never spent a day outside in his life – spoke into the mic, relaying rules, bedding arrangements, scheduales and anything else they might need to know. Having already caught the gist of it, Hakuryuu discreetly looked around the room, trying to scope out the other occupants of the rather large space.

The 'Important Room' looked more like an auditorium than anything, with plush chairs that folded upwards if you weren't sitting on them – reminiscent of a movie theater – and a large, wooden stage complete with dark red curtains and a mic. Each of the chairs were lined up into rows, with some higher or lower than others, Hakuryuu's more of a middle ground than anything. The room was also surprisingly dark, as if they had no fear of the inmates trying something in the almost pitch-black space. Of course, there was a large spot-light directed onto the stage, but it barely lit up the front row, much less Hakuryuu's or the rows further back. 

Frowning, he brought his attention back to the front. The warden was still talking, as if he couldn't get enough of his own voice, and Hakuryuu disliked him immediately. Being of a more serious, straightforward nature, he found it hard to like or befriend frivolous or sly people, and the warden seemed to belong to the first category. Of course, he reminded himself, he didn't have to like the guy. He was the warden after all, and Hakuryuu was certain that almost nobody liked the guy. 

After what seemed like hours of auditory torture, the warden finally(and reluctantly)relinquished the mic. Someone sighed in relief, and another muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'about time old man'. But when Hakuryuu looked, he couldn't seem to find the culprits. At the suddenly flash of the lights being turned back on, Hakuryuu had to repress a groan, at what felt like to knives stabbing into his eyeball's. The others around him weren't so polite, many of them groaning or even cursing openly. Hakuryuu was certain that someone was going to be punished for that, but not a single guard so much as blinked an eye at the vulgar language. What is going on here? That was going beyond lenient, it was bordering neglect.

Before Hakuryuu could say something, a harsh shove pushed him forward, and he just barely managed to stay upright. Blinking, he realized that all the other inmates had started filing out, and for a brief moment he panicked. Why didn't I pay attention when the warden was speaking!? It was unlike Hakuryuu, who was a very hardworking and respectful young man, but fortunately luck was on his side. The inmates had formed a single file line ans they obediently – surprisingly so – walked toward the double doors at the north end of the room. Every so often, one or two would stop briefly before continuing to go ahead, and he soon found out why. Beside the double doors was what looked to be a stand. The stand held various name tags, and Hakuryuu easily found his own. 

Females waited patiently at the stand, and just as he was grabbing his name tag, Hakuryuu was approached by a rather beautiful young woman. 

“Hakuryuu Ren, right?” She asked sweetly. Hakuryuu nodded his head dumbly before remembering that it was bad manners.

“Yes, that's me.” He replied, feeling a blush light up his cheeks. 

“My name is Marjorie. I'm supposed to answer any questions you may have. Any concerns or needs I should know about?” His cheeks still red, Hakuryuu struggled to think. Why did his helper have to be a girl!? He was bad at this kind of stuff! He could just hear Hakuei's teasing. She would lecture him on his horrible communication skills, wrought from a life away from human contact other than family and the occasional guest. Marjorie blinked at him, and Hakuryuu realized that he still hadn't answered.

“No – I mean, yes!” Silently cursing his suddenly heavy tongue, Hakuryuu struggled to voice his thoughts. “I was – well, it's just – room number!”

He blurted out the last bit of the sentence, rushing to get the words out. Marjorie stared at him for a moment before it seemed to click.

“Oh! You want to know your room number?” At Hakuryuu's vehement nod, she continued, looking down at the clipboard she held in her arms. “It's in Block C. Your room is Cell 3. It seems that you'll be sharing with...Judal and...Aladdin.”

Her voice wavered slightly on 'Judal' but Hakuryuu paid it no mind, thinking that maybe she had a cough. Nodding his thanks, despite knowing it was bad manners, he turned to leave, only to be stopped by a hand on his arm.

“Wait! I almost forgot!” She shoved something at his face, almost knocking him over from sheer force. At Hakuryuu's confused look she explained, “It's your uniform. The dress code around here is a bit...unique as I'm sure you'll see.”

With that, she let go of his arm and walked off, most likely to find someone else to help. Hakuryuu stared down at the black bundle in his arms before he turned again. Only to be stopped. Again. This time it was a guard that had stopped him. At first, Hakuryuu thought that he must have done something wrong – maybe violated one of those rules he didn't listen to? - but when the man simply nodded at him and walked forward, he took the hint and followed him. The walk was silent, and Hakuryuu occupied himself by looking at the halls. 

They were all the same, boring stone walls a depressing shade of grey, heavy steel doors with small, barred windows at the top, and words and numbers painted in white. When they finally arrived at his room, Hakuryuu was convinced. This place was the incarnation of the word 'boring'. The guard grunted at him, and Hakuryuu scuttled forward, not missing the heavy thunk of the door as it shut, or the soft click of the lock. 

The room itself was basic. The same boring grey as the rest of the place, with two bunk beds on opposite sides of the room. Two of them were obviously used, with one being a total mess, as if it's owner had jumped out of bed and kicked the blankets around for the fun of it, while the other was neat, but with magazines littering the top. They were both top bunks, so he would have to choose which side he would sleep on, with only two bottom bunks available. Finally deciding to go with the left – he was left handed, so why not? - he settled onto the bed below the extremely messy, unmade bed. Silently he wondered about his mysterious new roommates. Was he sleeping below Judal? Or Aladdin? Were they nice? Or would they be complete jerks? What did they look like? Why were they here?

So caught up in his musing, he just barely managed to catch the sound of the lock clicking and the door handle turning. This was it. He would meet one, or maybe both of his roommates. He briefly wondered if he should try and straighten up, but decided that it would look too weird if he were caught. Finally the door swung open and he caught sight of the meaty hand of the guard before...


	2. Friends aren't Needed, but You're Okay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hakuryuu meets one of his roommates, Aladdin, a cheerful young boy full of life, and finds out that his past can still catch up with him...

“Hi! I'm Aladdin, nice to meet you!” Hakuryuu's first impression of his roommate Aladdin – an alien. He was surprisingly small, with ocean blue hair that continued to his knees in a pitifully thin braid. His big blue eyes reminded Hakuryuu of Erik somewhat, with their puppy like enthusiasm, and he felt uncomfortable being on the receiving end of such a stare. His small hand was outstretched, and Hakuryuu slowly took it.

“I'm Hakuryuu. Nice to meet you.” He echoed, still shaking the obviously younger boys hand. Aladdin had somehow managed to trap Hakuryuu's hand within both of his, and was currently shaking them at the speed of light, all the while babbling cheerfully.

“I'm so glad you're finally here! Before you, I had to share with Judal, and Judal's reeeeeeaaaally mean ! He always calls me shrimpy, and he takes my stuff without asking– well, if he had asked I probably would have said yes – but that's not the point!” Hakuryuu struggled to make sense of Aladdin's light speed dialog, all the while attempting to remove his steadily-getting-sore hand from the way too bouncy handshake. 

“Umm, Aladdin if you wouldn't mind removing -” He tried to interrupt, only to be cut off. 

“But don't worry! I won't let him take your stuff! Hey, we could form an alliance! We could call it the...anti-Judal super powered fighting team! Wow, that sounds so cool don't you think?”

“Yes but -”

“Hey, why don't you have your uniform on yet?” Thank god for the child's short attention span. After noticing Hakuryuu's lack of uniform, Aladdin slowed the handshake and finally released his hand from the surprisingly strong grip.

“I haven't yet had a chance to put it on.” Hakuryuu replied, clutching his hand to his chest protectively, lest Aladdin change his mind and make a grab for it again. 

“Oh, that makes sense!” Why did all of the shorter's sentences end in an exclamation? Hakuryuu shook it off and instead scoped the room again, looking for a place to change; finding nothing he turned towards Aladdin again.

“Is there a place where I can change my clothes?” He asked asked politely. Aladdin looked at him strangely, before replying.

“There's a curtain over there, that's where we usually change.” At Aladdin's words, Hakuryuu finally spotted it. It was nothing but a long curtain that obscured the corner of the room, and Hakuryuu almost wanted to grimace. Thinking that maybe Aladdin was joking, he spared him a glance, only to silently despair. The shorter was dead serious, if that was possible. Letting out a tiny, inaudible sigh, Hakuryuu dejectedly trudged to the curtain; ready to get the humiliation over with.

To his surprise, the space was larger than he anticipated, big enough to fit maybe two people. Sighing, he stripped. First his beige sweater, then the button up he wore beneath it. His khaki's were a bit harder to remove, but he managed, finally stripped to nothing but his underwear. Hesitating, he decided to keep his ancient Chinese hair ornament, a gift from Hakuei. Now for the uniform. When unrolled, he saw that it was a rather large black jumpsuit, with outward flaring sleeves. A strange style indeed, he thought as he remembered Marjorie's words. Shaking it off, he quickly stepped into it – only to stop short.

The uniform was two sizes too big, with the outward-flaring elbow length sleeves going way past it's intended end-point. The pants flared outwards as well, but instead of stopping at his knees as he guessed it was meant to, it stopped somewhere around his shins exposing some of his normally hidden burn scars. But the most annoying thing was the collar. Since the uniform was too big, the collar gaped around his neck, slipping and showing his collarbone and shoulder with almost every movement he made. There was no mirror, so he couldn't know just how ridiculous he looked, but he could guess. 

Steeling himself, he finally stepped out of the curtain, and faced Aladdin. Now that he looked properly, he saw that his and Aladdin's uniforms were vastly different. While his own sleeves were elbow length, Aladdin's were short sleeves that you would normally see on t-shirts, and Aladdin's uniform ended in shorts, rather than Hakuryuu's knee length own. Aladdin scrutinized him as well, stopping at his hair ornament. For a second Hakuryuu held his breath, fearing that he would be told that it wasn't allowed and that he would have to remove it. But the child surprised him.

“That's so pretty...” He trailed off at the end of his sentence and continued to stare at Hakuryuu's most prized possession. 

“Thank you. It was a gift from my older sister.” Hakuryuu replied quietly. Aladdin started at his words, almost as if woken from a trance.

“Older sister, huh? That would be nice...” Aladdin again trailed off, but before Hakuryuu could ask, Aladdin continued. “How old are you?”

“I turned sixteen yesterday.” Once again, Hakuryuu answered quietly. That seemed to somber up Aladdin.

“I turned twelve three months ago.” It sort of felt as if they were sharing secrets, but it didn't feel awkward or uncomfortable. Instead, Hakuryuu felt a vague sense of belonging, with this strange blue-haired child. Vaguely he wondered, what had Aladdin – sweet, cheerful Aladdin – done to be sentenced to a place like this? He didn't look like he could hurt a fly, much less commit a heinous enough crime to be sentenced to Sin-Kou Juvie. 

“Hey, Aladdin?” Hakuryuu started hesitantly.

“Yeah?” Aladdin pinned those bright blue eyes on him, and suddenly Hakuryuu lost all his nerve.

“No, never mind.” He waved it off. Aladdin looked curious, but didn't pry. The next few hours were spent like that, with the two of them chatting casually about nothing and everything that came to their minds. Hakuryuu was almost sad when he heard the click of the lock disengaging again. His next roommate – Judal – couldn't possibly be as nice or easy to be around as Aladdin. And he was proven right when the door swung open and a tall, slim figure sauntered in casually.

Hakuryuu's blood froze.

It couldn't be. It wasn't possible. There was no way. 

“Oh? If it isn't the crybaby prince himself.” Judal's voice was the same as he remembered – silky and cunning. As he spoke, Judal sashayed forward. Cold fear made Hakuryuu take a single step back, and he instantly cursed himself. 

“Judal? What're you doing back so soon?” Thank Aladdin in all of his blue glory. At his words, Judal stopped advancing, but his bright red eyes stayed glued to Hakuryuu's terrified blue.

“Turns out that I wasn't even needed today. Old geezer wasted my time.” The last part was directed more at himself, as Judal frowned in annoyance. Hakuryuu took the chance; slowly sneaking towards Aladdin and his pure protection. Of course, he wasn't quite so lucky as to make it.

“Oi. Where are you going, crybaby prince?” Although Judal still hadn't moved, Hakuryuu felt his eyes widen slightly in fear. Darn his bodies natural reaction to that voice. However, forcing his trembling feet to move, he ignored the impatient older teen and continued as if he hadn't said anything. 

“Um, Hakuryuu...” Aladdin trailed of, but Hakuryuu understood what he meant. 'Are you sure it's a good idea to ignore him?' The answer was a resounding 'no', but he just couldn't get his mind to agree. He had been under the older teens thumb for far too long, and after finally gaining freedom he suddenly just comes back and expects Hakuryuu's immediate obedience? Heck no. Hakuryuu was done taking his orders. Forcing his scowl away, Hakuryuu smoothed his face into a neutral mask.

A neutral mask that broke the minute a cool hand gripped his arm in an iron embrace. 

“I said,” Judal started, voice low and dangerous, “where do you think you're going?” 

A whimper threatened to escape his throat, but he stubbornly held it in. He wouldn't show any weakness. So, instead of cowering, he stopped and slowly turned, staring at the spot above Judal's head.

“Where are the guards?” He replied instead, surprised that his voice was strong and steady – the opposite of how he felt. If Judal was thrown off by his obvious defiance, he didn't show it. Instead his face showed mild amusement. To his complete and utter shock, Judal dropped it, turning around and yawning loudly.

“Well, that was interesting. Not the warm, welcoming homecoming I was expecting though.” The red-eyed teen stretched leisurely.

Hakuryuu knew that his mouth was probably gaping open, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Judal – annoying, bloodthirsty, mostly likely insane, Judal – had just given up an opportunity to shed blood. Had given up the opportunity to shed Hakuryuu's blood.

“As much as I would like to finish this heartwarming reunion, I'm beat. Don't worry though Hakuryuu, I'll pay special attention to you tomorrow.” With that, Judal fell asleep in the messy bed on the left. Was it just him, or did the last bit of that sentence sound menacing? No, knowing Judal, it was done purposely. Hakuryuu briefly contemplated taking him out while he was asleep and vulnerable, but decided that one murder on his hands was enough. But that didn't mean he would sleep below him.

With a slightly childish pout, Hakuryuu quickly transferred his sparse belongings to the bed beneath Aladdin's. Sighing he turned towards the twelve-year-old, who stared at him with confused, curious eyes.

“Not now, Aladdin. Sorry, but I'm going to head to bed. Good night.” With that he climbed into his bed and squeezed his eyes closed, ignoring the tears that tried to escape the tightly closed lids. 

***

'Just be my adorable little Hakuryuu for the rest of your life.'

'What's happening to you, Ryuu? You're like a whole different person!'

'If you want to get rid of me, you'll have to kill me.'

'You claim to despise me, but in the end you're just like me!'

'Ahhhhhhhhhhh! It hurts! Help me!'

'Avenge us, Hakuryuu!'

'Be strong, little brother. And when the time is right, take out that witch!'

***

Hakuryuu startled awake, narrowly avoiding bumping his head as he shot upwards. Breathing heavily, he wiped his forehead, feeling the clammy sweat leftover from his nightmare. Every night. Every night, he endured these strange nightmares, nightmares that consisted of words and voices rather than images. Every night, he woke up in a sweat, trembling and gasping for air as he tried in vain to rid himself of the echoing voices that never seemed to leave. Gaining his bearings, Hakuryuu suddenly remembered where he was, and he stilled, holding his breath. Above him, Aladdin's rhythmic snoring continued undisturbed, and Hakuryuu quickly released his breath. 

Suitably calm, he looked around the room and guessed that it was still nighttime, judging from the lack of light filtering in through the windows. Taking deep breaths, he finally lay back down, closing his eyes. Within moments, he had fallen back into a fitful sleep, completely missing the gleefully malicious gleam of red from the other bed.


	3. Sorry, but Hatred Runs Strong in My Veins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hakuryuu's past slowly but surely unviels itself, including his twisted relationship with Judal and his unwavering feelings regarding his mother.

"Hakuryuu?" At the first nudge, Hakuryuu woke, fuzzy and disoriented.

"Hakuryuu!" At the second nudge, he shifted, mumbling under his breath about 'five more minutes'.

"Haaaakuuuurrryyyyuuuu!" At the third nudge, he seriously began contemplating committing just one more murder. Finally awake, he sat up, grumbling incoherently under his breath. If there was one thing he hated, it was mornings. How people could get up and be peppy, he would never know. Maybe they were aliens? That was his first impression of Aladdin after all. Never mind, it was probably just his sleepy mind taking advantage of the fact that he was groggy, grumpy, and irritated. Heaving an irritated sigh, he brought his legs to hang over the side of the bed as he gathered his bearings.

Looking down, he repressed yet another sigh as he noticed that he had slept in his clothes. And he had no idea if he would be getting another pair soon. Briefly, he considered asking Aladdin about it, but quickly threw the idea away; he didn't think he could handle all of that cheery energy just yet.

"Are you ready?" Blinking, Hakuryuu belatedly realized that Aladdin had been talking while he was deep in thought.

Deciding to play it cool, he eloquently replied: "Huh?"

Yeah, he was a poetic genius. Not.

To his credit, Aladdin didn't look the least bit peeved that Hakuryuu hadn't heard a word he said; the blue-haired boy was probably used to it. Aladdin smiled and repeated himself.

"I was asking if you were ready to go grab breakfast. Around here, it gets crowded pretty fast, so if we want to get anything decent we have to hurry." It took about five seconds for Hakuryuu's still-groggy brain to process the words, and another two seconds for him to nod and sluggishly stand. Feeling a sudden chill, he turned towards his bed, a nasty glare slipping onto his face instantaneously. To his – relief, disappointment? – Judal was bundled beneath the covers, and his loud snoring could be heard from within the lump. That was strange. Was he snoring last night? Hakuryuu thought to himself, struggling to remember. Before he could fully recall anything, he was tugged forward. Looking down, he was greeted with the sight of Aladdin's hand tugging his own.

"We need to hurry." The blue-haired boy said by way of explanation. Shooting one last glare at Judal's sleeping form, Hakuryuu relented, allowing Aladdin to pull him forward.

***

Aladdin was not kidding when he said that the place got packed quick. Only minutes after getting their own food, a stampede suddenly burst through the doors, shoving and bustling each other to get in the line first. It was madness to watch, and Hakuryuu was silently grateful that Aladdin had woken him up. A still-sleeping Judal popped into his mind, and Hakuryuu allowed a meanly pleased smile to overtake his mouth at the thought of Judal having to go through that mess to get breakfast. Or better yet, not getting breakfast at all.

"Don't you look like the cat that ate the canary?" At the sly comment, Hakuryuu started, a small yelp escaping before he could stop it. Laughter erupted from across the table, and Hakuryuu felt his pale cheeks light up in a rosy blush, even as he realized that the once-almost-empty table was suddenly almost full and bustling with life.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you." Hakuryuu chose that moment to look up, and his heterochromatic blue eyes met molten amber.

"I'm Sinbad. What's your name, newcomer?" Sinbad was a tall, muscled man with long...purple hair that hung around his face and neck in thick strands barely held in place by a ponytail. Beside him was a relatively average sized male, with pale, pale, skin and messy white hair. His eyes were a dark grey that seemed almost black, reminding Hakuryuu of a snake, but not in a bad way.

"Hakuryuu." He finally replied. At his name, the entire table suddenly went quiet. Frowning, Hakuryuu wondered what he said to cause such a disturbance.

"Do you mean...that Hakuryuu?" The question came from a boy around his age, with golden hair and eyes. He seemed oddly nervous, as if Hakuryuu would jump across the table and maul him at any second.

"You'll have to tell me what you mean by 'that' Hakuryuu." He said evenly. The boy shot a glance at Aladdin, then another one at a pretty, red haired girl. Finally he seemed to gather his courage before continuing. But what he said almost knocked Hakuryuu out of his chair.

"Mother-killer Hakuryuu." Although the words were hushed, Hakuryuu heard them as clearly as if they had been shouted into a microphone. Keeping his face solemn, he turned and stared the boy right into the eyes before replying.

"Yes." Gasps were heard from all around the table, and Hakuryuu almost regretted admitting it. However, before he could even begin to take back the words, a sly voice called out.

"Now don't lie to them." Hakuryuu gritted his teeth with an audible click as Judal's voice filled his ears. He knew that he was probably wearing a very scary face, but he pushed the thought away as Judal finally came into view.

The older teen wore his uniform, but somehow he made it seem like a fashion statement instead of the punishment it really was. The sleeves were thin straps on his shoulders, and instead of the one-piece jumpsuit that everyone else was forced to wear, his was a two piece, with his stomach very clearly exposed. At the sight, Hakuryuu subconsciously pulled up his own sleeve, only for it to fall again almost immediately.

"Lie?" That came from Aladdin, who's big blue eyes were confused, as if there was no possible way that Hakuryuu could lie. He didn't know whether to be touched, or slightly suspicious by the kids trust in him.

"Yeah, flower brain. Lie." Judal drawled lazily. Hakuryuu narrowed his eyes, barely resisting the urge to jump out of his chair and run as fast as his legs could take him.

"It wasn't a lie." Hakuryuu muttered, shooting poison daggers at Judal through his eyes. The black-haired teen simply laughed before slowly walking over to him. Oh heck no.

Hakuryuu shifted his chair with an audible squeak, trying desperately to turn Judal away without actually speaking to him. Of course, his silent message was ignored, and within seconds, Judal was within touching distance. Okay, time for plan B.

"What do you think you're doing?" He questioned icily, leaning away when Judal moved forward.

"Don't be so cold, crybaby prince." Judal muttered, wrapping his arms around Hakuryuu from behind. "After all, we have so much history."

Red alert. Red alert. Enemy too close; repeat, enemy too close. Abort mission, abort mission. Hakuryuu's brain screamed to run, to get away as fast as possible. However when he tried, he was effortlessly held in place. Memories flooded his brain; being held down easily by the older boy as Judal stuffed worms into his screaming mouth. The memory shouldn't have bothered him as much as it did, but he couldn't help it. Judal was...he was...evil, pure evil. His silence must have convinced Judal that he was giving up, because the taller loosened his hold before speaking again.

"Strike a nerve? Or did you finally decide to see things my way?" He spoke, almost to himself. "Nah, that'd be too easy, right?"

It seemed that their earlier argument would be discontinued for now, as the taller teens infamously short attention span had forgotten all about it.

"Get your hands off me." Hakuryuu growled through gritted teeth, struggling once again in the others hold.

"Now there's the crybaby prince I know!" Judal laughed, but it wasn't warm or comforting. Instead it was mocking and cold, filled with intense malicious glee. Hakuryuu knew that he should have just stayed still, Judal would have gotten bored and left; but he just couldn't stop himself. Judal riled him up so easily, pushing all the right buttons without any effort on his part.

"What do you want from me!?" Hakuryuu finally burst. Never ending. The torment was never ending, Judal seemed to torture his mind and body, even when he wasn't there. Tears blurred his vision, but he stubbornly attempted to keep them at bay. Memories flooded his brain, and Hakuryuu vaguely registered the fact that he was probably going into shock.

***

"Crybaby prince! Crybaby prince, where are you?"Judal's ten year old voice called out, and Hakuryuu huddled into himself further. He was hiding in the shrubs that led to the gardens, silently praying that Judal wouldn't find him. The older boy wanted to 'play', something that Hakuryuu had learned the hard way to never agree to. The last time they played ended with the eight year old crying in the corner of his locked bedroom for hours, with Judal snickering outside the door the entire time.

Hearing a twig snap, Hakuryuu's head snapped upward, tense and ready to flee at any moment. To his immense relief, it was only a wild rabbit, not Judal. The older boy honestly scared him, there was just something not right about him. Maybe it was the strange, crazed glint in his bright red eyes, or maybe it was the way he tortured bugs; slowly pulling off their limbs one by one before finishing them of by burning them painfully with a magnifying glass. Either way, Hakuryuu was certain that he didn't like him, and would happily spend all day in the shrub if it meant avoiding Judal.

"Found you~!" At the sing song voice, Hakuryuu yelped and turned, trying to dash away. But before he could so much as move a muscle, he was pinned to the ground by a smugly grinning Judal.

"I don't wanna play!" Hakuryuu screeched, scratching and kicking in vain, only to be pinned more securely, with Judal holding his wrists above his head in one hand easily.

"Too bad, crybaby prince. I said I wanna play, so we're gonna play." Judal answered sternly. His cat-like red eyes glinted and Hakuryuu tried his best to melt into the ground.

"B-but...why do you have to play with me!?" Hakuryuu sobbed. "Why don't you go play with Kouha, or Kouen, or even Koumei!? Why do you have to force me to!?"

Judal went silent, contemplating. Finally a malicious grin grew onto his childish face, transforming it into something scary.

"I guess it's cause..." He started, terrifying smile still in place, "you're my favorite. And I always play with my favorites."

And for some strange reason, Hakuryuu didn't doubt him.


	4. Memories are Precious, but I can do Without Yours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hakuryuu's home life is revealed, and Judal makes a soul shattering announcement.

In the end, Hakuryuu pounced on Judal, trying desperately to tear the others face off with his bare hands. Judal only laughed wickedly, egging him on with malicious glee. The older teen seemed to derive enjoyment from watching the usually composed Hakuryuu lose his head, whether in anger, sadness, or pain. The guards tensed, but otherwise did nothing, and Hakuryuu had the sinking feeling that it had to do with the look Judal shot them when they had tried to intervene.

"Hakuryuu! Hakuryuu, calm down! Judal, quit baiting him." Despite their pleas, Judal continued to provoke Hakuryuu, who was struggling against Sinbad's iron grip.

"C'mon Sinbad, live a little! A bit of blood won't hurt anyone. Much." Judal called, blood lust clear in his bright red gaze and crazed grin. At his words, Hakuryuu began struggling again, this time managing to escape from Sinbad and tackle Judal.

The two went down in a tangled mess of limbs and hair, with Judal managing to wrench Hakuryuu's hair ornament from where it was perched atop his head. Hakuryuu blindly scratched, kicked, and punched, not caring if they connected with their intended point. Unsurprisingly, Judal easily blocked and evaded each rage filled strike, even managing to get in a few of his own. The one-sided fight was vicious, and seemed to go on for hours, with neither one giving up.

Finally Hakuryuu collapsed heavily, landing non too gently on the floor beside a triumphant Judal. Although they both looked horrible, with their clothes disheveled and hair in wild, tangled clumps, it was Hakuryuu who seemed worse for wear.

The sixteen year old was breathing heavily, and a fresh bruise bloomed along his jawline. Judal, though disheveled, looked otherwise unharmed.

"Ah, that was refreshing. We have to do that more often, crybaby prince." Judal breathed, giggling from slightly manic delight.

"Stop calling me that." Hakuryuu tossed back, too tired to move, much less come up with a witty remark. Judal opened his mouth – more than likely to spew out something demeaning – but he was interrupted before he could get a single word out. A guard had walked up, whispering something in the older teens ear. Hakuryuu barely made out the words 'chairman' and 'see you'. Judal frowned before lazily pulling himself up, stretching luxuriously.

"So annoying." He muttered before turning back to Hakuryuu's slumped form. "See you later, crybaby prince."

How did Judal manage to make such an innocent statement sound like a threat? Hakuryuu had no idea, but he wasn't sure that he wanted to find out either. As Judal's annoying whistling faded, Hakuryuu sluggishly pulled himself into a semi-seated position. Aladdin sat beside him, and Hakuryuu dearly hoped that he wouldn't pry. Thankfully, Aladdin was sharper than he looked.

"Why does he call you that? You don't look like a crybaby." Hakuryuu stifled a self-depreciating smile at the question. His mind wandered back into his memories, and the smell of peaches filled his nose.

"I don't know, Aladdin. It's a long story." He replied, resisting the urge to close his eyes and fall into a deep sleep. It had been a long day, and he was just ready to close his eyes and never open them again.

"Well, I have a lot of time." Aladdin leaned against him comfortably, and Hakuryuu sighed.

"Later, Aladdin. I'll tell you when we get back to the room, okay?" Aladdin smiled in response. Yeah, that sounded pretty good.

***

"I grew up in what you would call a 'privileged' home." Hakuryuu started. Aladdin sat across from him in the floor, eyes wide and anticipatory. Luckily, Judal hadn't yet come back from his mysterious 'errand' so they had the room all to themselves. "My family, The Ren Household, is a very distinguished Chinese family, directly descended from royalty – "

"So in other words, you're a prince!?" Aladdin jumped in excitedly.

"Erm, in a way, I suppose. But only through marriage." Hakuryuu answered, disgruntled. He had honestly never thought of it that way, but it was true, kinda.

"But if you're a prince, why aren't you in China?" Aladdin persisted.

Hakuryuu blinked, then sighed. "Like I said, my ancestors married into the royal family. And China is no longer a hierarchy. They follow a president now, not an emperor."

"Oh." Was Aladdin's simple reply.

"Now do you want me to finish the story, or are you going to continue to interrupt?" Hakuryuu asked. Aladdin quickly pulled an imaginary zipper across his mouth, and Hakuryuu resisted a fond smile.

"I was eight years old the first time I met Judal, who was ten at the time. He had just shown up one day, according to my mother he was a...very important asset. In fact, he was referred to as an Oracle." Hakuryuu hesitated slightly before continuing, "He was treated with the utmost respect, and pretty much allowed to do anything he wished with no repercussions. That included bullying me, which he did daily."

At that point, Aladdin looked like he was going to say something, but at Hakuryuu's look he remained silent.

"I'm embarrassed to say that at that point in my life I was very...prone to emotional displays, which Judal took advantage of. After the – third? - time he had made me break down, he gave me the nickname 'crybaby prince' to mock me. In his words, 'You don't act like a real prince, 'cause you cry a lot. So from now on, I'm calling you Crybaby Prince!'."

It wasn't the whole truth, but Aladdin didn't need to know that just yet. When the younger boy looked like he was going to ask another question, Hakuryuu quickly blurted out his own to distract him.

"What's Judal doing?" Instantly he regretted the words. Not because of Aladdin's bewildered look, but because of the fact that he had brought up Judal of his own violation. Barf.

"You mean you didn't know?" Aladdin spoke as if it was impossible for anyone not to know, and Hakuryuu felt the faintest hint of a blush spread across his cheeks in embarrassment.

"Didn't know what?" The words sounded slightly defensive, and Hakuryuu softened his expression as an apology.

"Judal is the favorite of this entire place." Aladdin stated matter-of-factly. At Hakuryuu's disgusted, panicked look, he quickly assured him. "Not like that! I mean, this place is corrupted. Some of us are treated better than others, and Judal is treated the best. I'm not entirely sure exactly what goes on, or what it is that Judal does, but I can assure you it's not like that."

"So, what does he do?" Hakuryuu asked, ignoring the fact that Aladdin had already answered that question.

Aladdin smiled. "Like I said, I don't know, but I have a vague idea."

Hakuryuu made a sound of encouragement for the other to continue.

"I think it has to do with… the Mafia." Oh, that makes sen – the Mafia!? Hakuryuu opened and closed his mouth, not entirely sure what to say to that. Usually, he would just brush it off as Aladdin being childish and poking fun at him, but the blue-haired child was perfectly serious. And there was Sinbad, the purple haired guy he had met earlier. He knew that he had seemed familiar! Sinbad was another descendent of royalty, from a small country called Sindria, coincidentally one of the founders of this very prison. Sinbad was also known for his Mafioso connections. Maybe Aladdin's theories weren't too far off...

"So? What do you think?" Hakuryuu started, jerking himself out of his thoughts. Aladdin was looking at him with big blue eyes that begged him to believe the twelve year old, and he found his mouth opening before his brain could comprehend what he was saying.

"Of course. I must admit that it makes sense, besides the obviously outlandish kinks." Hakuryuu assented.

"Kinks, huh? I didn't take you for that type of person, Hakuryuu." Before Hakuryuu could react, Judal was suddenly beside him, an arm draped lazily over his shoulder. "Not that I don't find the thought...interesting."

"Judal! When did you get back?" Aladdin exclaimed, oblivious to Hakuryuu's obvious discomfort.

"Slow down Shrimpy, I just got here." Judal drawled, and Hakuryuu took that chance to try and remove the arm heavily perched around his neck, only to fail miserably.

Aladdin's cheeks puffed outwards in a pout at being called 'shrimpy'. "One day I'll be even taller than you, then we'll see who's 'shrimpy'!" He promised loudly, face set in determination.

"Ha! I'll believe that when I see it, flower brain." Judal replied, lowering himself so that he sat on Hakuryuu's bunk, uncomfortably close to the younger teen. Hakuryuu knew he had done it on purpose the minute he noticed the mischievous glint in the others burning red gaze.

"Let go." Hakuryuu finally mumbled, shifting slightly to lean away from Judal's hold. To his surprise, the black haired teen complied, dragging his arm slowly but surely until it no longer rested on Hakuryuu's shoulder. That relief soon turned into annoyance, however, when the older teen simply leaned backwards and rested his feet on Hakuryuu's empty lap.

"That's not what I – " He started angrily, but his complaint didn't even get to fully escape his throat before he was cut off.

"What were you two whispering about, all alone?" The question seemed to be more directed at Aladdin, but Judal's eyes remained on Hakuryuu's face. Hakuryuu's cheeks flushed at the attention, whether in anger or embarrassment, he didn't know.

"Nothing." Hakuryuu replied quickly, at the same time Aladdin explained, "The Mafia."

Shooting Aladdin an incredulous stare, Hakuryuu resisted the urge to rub his face in exasperation. Because, not only had the younger boy just exposed information that should probably not be spoken in general, he exposed it to Judal. Judal, who was just crazy and spiteful enough to tell on them, just because he thought it, 'might be amusing'.

Immediately, Hakuryuu thought of all the times when they were just children, and Judal would tattle on him constantly, most times for things he didn't even do. The older boy seemed to derive some sick, twisted pleasure from Hakuryuu's suffering as he tearfully tried to explain his innocence. But of course, only Judal would be believed, and Hakuryuu would be punished. It was just the way things were, and as he grew older, he learned to accept it; hiding his mounting rage behind a cold, neutral exterior.

He was brought out of his dark brooding by the sound of Judal's chuckle. As he had expected, the older teen was laughing his mocking laugh, hands clenching his sides, feet kicking slightly from their position on Hakuryuu's lap.

"Ahhh." He exhaled, finally done laughing. "Looks like you aren't as dumb as you look, shrimpy."

"Thanks!" Aladdin replied brightly, obviously not getting the fact that he was being mocked.

"Aladdin…" Hakuryuu trailed off, not exactly sure how to explain it, eventually just deciding to leave it be. "Actually, nevermind."

"Okay?" Aladdin sounded confused, but otherwise didn't pry. Judal, obviously not pleased at being ignored, dug his heel sharply into Hakuryuu's thigh, a pleased spark lightening his eyes at the younger teens failed attempt at muffling his yelp. If the glare on his face was anything to go by, Hakuryuu had noticed and didn't appreciate the fact nor the pain.

"Was there anything you needed, Oracle?" He spoke through gritted teeth, trying and failing to sound coolly polite. His rage and even his slight fear showed clearly though his heterochromatic blue eyes. It was always his eyes that gave him away, even if he could force the rest of his body into a neutral mask, his eyes were the one thing that he could never control. They showed all of his emotions clearly, as though looking through a window directly into Hakuryuu's soul.

"How cold." Judal remarked, though the amusement on his face belied the offended words. "But then again, I guess you wouldn't be Hakuryuu if you weren't."

"If you have nothing else to say..." Hakuryuu started, pushing the feet off his lap rudely. Judal snickered, simply putting his feet back, ignoring Hakuryuu's indignant noise of protest.

"That's too bad," Judal cooed, pulling his arms above his head in a stretch, "and to think I was considering telling you something interesting."

"Something…interesting?" Aladdin repeated, tilting his head curiously. Hakuryuu narrowed his eyes, instantly suspicious. Nothing Judal says or does comes without a price or a reason, with the latter usually ending in blood and death.

"Something interesting." Judal confirmed, before noticing Hakuryuu's suspicious glare. "Don't look at me like that, crybaby prince~ You just might hurt my feelings, you know?"

Hakuryuu scoffed. "That's highly unlikely."

Judal grinned, all teeth and ill-intentions. "It was worth a shot."

Hakuryuu harrumphed, eyes still narrowed. Aladdin took that moment to make a very unwelcome observation.

"You really don't like Judal, Brother Hakuryuu." Hakuryuu was slightly taken aback, from both the 'Brother' added to his name, and the surprisingly on target observation. Not that it was hard to tell Hakuryuu's dislike for Judal, as it practically radiated from his very being.

"He does." Judal announced abruptly, making Hakuryuu jump. "Not that he'll ever admit it."

Hakuryuu pursed his lips, displeased with Judal's assessment of his character. Like heck he liked the psychotic teen even the least little bit. But before he could actually voice those thoughts, Judal continued.

"But that's just how he is with everyone. A little thorn that hides himself away, distancing himself from anyone and everyone besides his 'oh-so-precious' older sister." Judal shrugged, grinning. "Not that I care for his silly notions of making me disappear."

The tension in the room rose, so much that it almost seemed as if it would manifest into smoke and asphyxiate them all. Aladdin's big blue eyes darted between the two anxiously, anticipating a fight.

"U-uh….right! Um, you said you had something interesting to tell us, right Judal?" Judal's grin widened, eyes lighting with the reminder.

Hakuryuu snorted, doubting anything that Judal could tell them would be the least bit helpful, but otherwise remaining silent.

"That's right, shrimpy." Judal agreed, ignoring Aladdin's noise of protest at the abhorred nickname. "I have something I think 'her highness' over there would be interested in hearing."

Hakuryuu stiffened. "Are you trying to imply that I'm feminine?"

Judal snickered, eyes flashing with delight as he purred, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Frowning, Hakuryuu considered just getting into bed and calling it a night. He didn't think he could handle Judal for another second without doing something they would both regret. Or, rather, something he would regret. No matter what he did, Judal would probably just grin his manic grin, not phased in the least. He was just about to do that, when Judal smirked, saying the words he knew would change Hakuryuu's mind in a heartbeat.

"It has to do with Al-Thamen. Rather, with their resident witch." Instantly, Hakuryuu froze, numbly sitting back down.

"What do you mean?" He demanded, forgetting his fear and distaste in the wake of something he deemed more important.

"I might consider telling you. If…" Judal grinned, leaving the sentence incomplete.

"If? If what!?" Hakuryuu's frustration was evident in his voice, and Judal seemed to enjoy every second. Aladdin, meanwhile, was frowning; his big blue eyes staring at Judal with what seemed to be a new realization.

"If…" Judal drawled, red eyes half-lidded. "you owe me one. One favor that you can't reject, no matter how distasteful, disgusting, or hateful you find it."

"Done." Hakuryuu agreed immediately. He seemed willing to do anything to hear what Judal was about to tell them.

"Thanks for your purchase!" At the words, Hakuryuu couldn't help but feel as if he had made a deal with the devil. "And as for my end…"

Hakuryuu leaned forward, anticipation clear on his face. Aladdin too, seemed on edge as he awaited the suddenly all-important information. Judal smirked.

"Ren Gyokuen is still alive."

And Hakuryuu's world shattered into a thousand tiny shards


	5. My Eyes are Blind, but I still see Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hakuryuu breaks down, and Judal brutally reveals the truth about Hakuryuu's life and choices.

"What?" Hakuryuu felt as if the walls were closing in on him, as if the floor had suddenly disappeared from it's place beneath his feet. He couldn't see, couldn't breathe and what was happening to him? Why was the world spinning and shaking and crumbling from above his head? And why did Judal's voice suddenly sound so warped and distant? Why could he suddenly smell nothing but fire and blood and tears that were just too much!?

And then everything was normal again.

"Better?" Judal snickered, obviously giddy at being able to cause Hakuryuu even the tiniest bit of pain. Hakuryuu's face was still snapped to the left, his cheek already swelling beneath the stinging red spot quickly developing into a handprint.

"Judal!" Aladdin chastised. "You didn't have to hit him! Brother Hakuryuu, are you okay?"

"Fine." Hakuryuu replied numbly, slowly working his jaw. Despite the…less than gentle methods, the slap did manage to bring him back to reality, and for that he was reluctantly grateful to the black-haired teen. But that didn't stop the steadily rising despair that swirled around his mind, waiting for a chance to envelope him in its dark, empty embrace.

"You see, shrimpy?" Judal drawled, making himself comfortable once again, setting his feet in Hakuryuu's lap. "I didn't even hit him all that hard."

Hakuryuu frowned. The glint in Judal's eyes said what his mouth didn't, and Hakuryuu knew that the older teen was regretting not inflicting more violence while he had the chance. Preferably, violence that ended in the trickles of tears that Judal so loved to see on Hakuryuu's cheeks.

"What do you mean, 'she's still alive'?" Hakuryuu demanded heavily. He felt as if he was sinking, his sanity and self disappearing into the quicksand known as Judal.

"Exactly what I said, crybaby." Judal replied lazily, already bored with the conversation. Aladdin looked like he was about to speak, but Judal cut him off. "Hey, flower brain."

Pouting indignantly at the summons that sounded like it was meant for a dog, not a human being, Aladdin answered anyway. "Yes, Judal?"

Only Hakuryuu seemed to notice the wicked gleam in Judal's eyes as he spoke. "I think the crybaby looks a little pale, don't you think?"

Hakuryuu furrowed his brows, not following Judal's intentions. "Pale? I don – "

The sharp, familiar pain of Judal's heel digging into his thigh instantly stopped the words, and Hakuryuu's slight whimper didn't go unnoticed by either of the other two occupants of the room. Whereas Judal looked infinitely amused, Aladdin looked concerned.

"I – well, yeah. He does." The blue haired boy replied, big eyes full of worry and genuine concern.

"I think he could use some water, don't you think?" Judal purred, placing more pressure on Hakuryuu's tender thigh in warning when the younger teen opened his mouth to protest – again. "A little food wouldn't hurt either."

"But..." Aladdin wavered, looking regretful. "The kitchens aren't open, so I can't."

Judal waved his hand lazily, barely avoiding a collision with Hakuryuu's face. "Don't sweat the details, shrimpy. Just tell them that I sent you."

With that, Judal promptly began playing with the end ribbons of Hakuryuu's hair piece, ending the one-sided conversation. Hakuryuu scowled, displeased.

"Really Aladdin, I'm perfectly fi – " Once again, Hakuryuu cut himself off. Glowering, he glared at Judal, heterochromatic blue eyes silently reprimanding. Did you seriously just pinch me? They questioned, outraged. Judal's only answer was a far-too-innocent smile that didn't match at all with the teens mischievous eyes.

"It's alright Brother Hakuryuu!" Aladdin exclaimed. "I'll be back before you know it!"

Before Hakuryuu could say another word, Aladdin had already dashed from the room; a tiny blue streak headed towards the kitchen. Hakuryuu turned back to Judal, pulling the feet from his lap. Again.

"Was that really necessary?" He questioned icily, shifting to distance himself from the hands playing with the ribbons. Judal simply shifted along with him, sniggering all the while.

"Of course." The black-haired teen murmured, a hand moving to trace the silken flesh of Hakuryuu's cheek. "I doubt you'd want that shrimp to hear the rest of our conversation."

The words and the hand caused a slight flush to creep onto Hakuryuu's cheeks, staining them a light pink that steadily turned darker. Judal was being considerate? He was actually trying to take Hakuryuu's feelings into consideration? Hakuryuu both mentally and physically shook his head, both to rid himself of the confusing thoughts and the equally confusing hand. Because, if there was one thing he learned from the four years they spent together, it was that Judal had no qualms about lying and faking emotion if it was guaranteed to give him a good laugh.

"So you'll actually answer my question now?" He asked, face neutral and betraying no hint of his previous turmoil.

"I already did answer; you just didn't like what you heard." Judal answered, grin widening when Hakuryuu narrowed his eyes in an annoyed scowl. "Okay, fine. Yes, I will."

Hakuryuu remained silent, waiting for Judal to continue.

"What I said was true." The red-eyed teen stated. "She really is alive. Turns out, she was alive the whole time you were being prosecuted for murder."

Hakuryuu's voice wasn't as strong as he would have liked when he replied. "That's impossible! I killed her with my own two hands. I saw the blood gush from her neck when I beheaded her!"

Judal licked his lips, obviously enjoying Hakuryuu's gory rendition of his mothers death. "Oh? I didn't think you had it in you. Good job, crybaby prince." He congratulated.

At Hakuryuu sharp, pointed look, he pouted. "Sheesh, forgot how bossy you could be."

"So you mean to say," Hakuryuu began, ignoring Judal's complaint, "that my mother – that I beheaded with my own two hands and a spear – is somehow alive and well? And has been since the beginning of my trial?"

"Bingo!" Judal drawled, shaping his right hand to form a gun, blowing imaginary smoke from the barrel.

"That's impossible." Hakuryuu stated bluntly. "And even if it weren't, why would they continue to charge me with murder if my mother was alive? Why not attempted murder or something of the like?"

Judal grinned, as if that was just the question he was waiting for. "Don't you see, crybaby prince?"

His eyes were bright, manic with knowledge and something more. Hakuryuu, despite himself, couldn't help but be drawn into those burning red depths.

"See what?" His words were but a whisper, a tiny breath that danced along Judal's cheek as the older teen sat up and shifted closer; so close that their noses nearly touched. At his words, Judal's eyes brightened, grin so wide and manic it was almost painful to watch.

"You've been set up!" The words exploded from Judal's mouth, shattering the anticipatory silence. "Everything, all of it was set up! From the 'death' of that old hag, to your stay here! Don't you see Hakuryuu? You never even had a choice; you've been their puppet this whole time!"

Hakuryuu's lips parted, eyes widening with new realization. "Bu...but…I killed her..."

The words were weak and feeble, even to his own ears; but Hakuryuu hung onto them like a lifeline. That's right, he had killed her. Had chopped her head off with the very spear she had given him for a past birthday. He could still feel the phantom warmth of her blood as it sprayed across his face and torso. And that was that; dead people didn't come back to life.

Judal shook his head slowly; as if it was Hakuryuu that didn't understand the full picture. "You still don't see."

The muttered words enraged Hakuryuu, who was tired of Judal and his nonsensical ramblings. "Still don't see? Still don't see, what!? The fact that you're a psychopath?"

Judal's head snapped up, red eyes burning. "Don't play dumb, crybaby. It doesn't suit you."

Hakuryuu flinched. Yes, he did know what Judal meant; what the older teen was trying to hint at. But that didn't mean Hakuryuu wanted to admit it, to acknowledge it. Because doing so could possibly destroy the sanity he had worked to hard to regain. The truth was, Hakuryuu was scared. He was scared senseless, he was downright terrified.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He stubbornly replied, eyes averted downward to avoid seeing his lies reflected in violent crimson.

Judal growled, roughly grabbing Hakuryuu's chin to tilt it upwards so that their eyes met. "Yes you do. Say it."

"No!" Hakuryuu cried, unsuccessfully trying to pull his chin from Judal's vice grip.

"It wasn't her! Say it." Judal hissed dangerously, and Hakuryuu felt his eyes mist over with the promise of tears. His lower lip trembled, his stomach lurching dangerously in the face of this new revelation.

"Oh god." He whispered hoarsely. A dry sob escaped his throat. "It wasn't her."

Judal instantly calmed. "Good," he murmured. "Again."

By then, Hakuryuu's cheeks were soaked with tears, eyes wide in horror. "It wasn't her. It wasn't – oh god, it wasn't Gyokuen!"

And then he finally slumped, dissolving into a fit of tears and mumbled incoherencies. Judal simply held him, stroking his back languidly. His ever present grin had finally returned, and his red eyes glinted with the promise of bloodshed. Finally, Hakuryuu pulled himself upwards, eyes hard with determination and an almost indistinguishable shine of newly acquired insanity.

"Did you mean it?" He suddenly demanded, voice cracking slightly. Judal perked up instantly.

"Most definitely." He purred. "We'll destroy that old hag together. Right after I get us out of here, of course."

"What?" Hakuryuu asked, bewildered. What did Judal mean, get them out of there? Was the insane teen actually trying to suggest that they try to escape from Sin-Kou?

Judal sniggered, grinning with the amusement of an adult who had to answer a child's ridiculous question on something obvious. "Exactly what I said, crybaby. I'm gonna get us out of here. Did you really think I was just here to serve time?"

Hakuryuu's mouth gaped open, stunned at the possibilities Judal's vague explanation unleashed. Because, despite it's utter ridiculousness and sheer impossibility, Hakuryuu didn't doubt the older teen for a second. And it wasn't because of something as soft and pure as trust; rather the feeling was so twisted and embraced by thorns, it could almost no longer be known as trust. Instead, it was just a dark, foreboding feeling in the pit of Hakuryuu's stomach that lead him to believe in the black-haired teens words unwaveringly.

"Just who are you, Judal?" Hakuryuu whispered, suddenly in awe of his childhood bully.

Judal grinned, dark, sinful, and twisted beyond repair.

"I'm Kou's Magi."


End file.
